a. and sb. [f. L. lēgulēi-us a pettifogger (f. lēg-, lēx law) + -AN.]

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  A.  adj. Of or pertaining to petty questions of law or to law language; pettifogging. rare.

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1677.  Needham, 2nd Pacquet Adv., 21. It is a small matter with our Factious Leguleian Scriblers to form up Opinions upon forged Interpretations of Law.

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1847.  De Quincey, Protestantism, Wks. 1858, VIII. 90. It seems impossible to determine whether he uses it in the classical English sense, or in the sense of leguleian barbarism.

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  B.  sb. A pettifogger; a contemptuous term for a lawyer.

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1631.  Bp. Webbe, Quietn. (1653), 254. Our spruce aturnies, and upstart Leguleians.

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1692.  Washington, trans. Milton’s Def. Pop., ix. M.’s Wks. 1851, VIII. 209. You do but that over again … which some silly Leguleians now and then do, to argue unawares against their own Clients.

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1864.  D. Masson, in Macm. Mag., Dec., 124/1. To distinguish a jolly young medical from a prematurely-sharp leguleian.

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  So Leguleious a. = LEGULEIAN a.

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1660.  H. More, Myst. Godl., IV. xiii. 131. The leguleious Cavils of some Pragmatical Pettifoggers.

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